3.5⭐️
Our leading lady is a jaded (for good reason) romance author who's reading audience turns on her when they find out she has secretly (and privately) written "happily never afters" for each of her romance novel couples. This is where I had to gloss over the ridiculousness that an entire fan base would cancel an author because she didn't love love.

That aside... Margot escapes to Alaska for 6 weeks to write a mystery novel instead to keep her career alive.

It's here she meets Forrest, who might have the potential to change her opinion on if a happily ever after might be possible.

There were a few laugh out loud funny parts and a couple of steamy scenes, but there was also some heavy stuff with each of our MCs being primary caretakers for a relative.

*please note that I did receive this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Loved this book! Did my secondhand embarrassment struggle a bit with the beginning of this book? Yes, yes it did, but at least I knew going into it that we were going to see our FMC's fall from grace and so I could be a bit prepared. I enjoyed Margot's journey in Alaska, discovering more about herself and of course, getting to know Forrest. The banter between Forrest and Margot was a lot of fun and I love a dual POV romance. Both characters had their own problems to work through, while trying to figure out how to let the other in.
The story was completed with a colorful cast of side characters that helped round out the story and Margot's sister, Savannah, was absolutely adorable. There were a few things here and there that I felt like should have been addressed or perhaps wrapped up a bit tighter, but overall I'd rate this a 4.5, rounding up to a 5.
Overall, I feel like this book was a love letter to romance fans - their loyalty, the fact that they carry the book world, their excitement, etc.

I adored this book! The characters were wonderful, the story was creative, the concept was very well done! Perfect for romance readers and will definitely be a book that I will be recommending to everyone this year! LOVED it!

Wow did I end up loving this 100x more than I thought I would! I usually don’t like the “book about a writer writing a book” but this one had me. I love Alaska and having that in here was great and feeling that the characters really struggled and made it through those struggles. I can say I cried the whole last 15% but it was so worth it. She writes HEA but was she going to get her own? I was hooked, love the build up and the ending, the beginning was not my fav!

Romance author Margot Bradley finds herself in hot water after her “Happily Never After” list is revealed to her fans. Facing an uncertain career, Margot is sent to Alaska by her sister Savannah, tasked with finding inspiration for her next book. But when Margot arrives, she is met with Forrest, the embodiment of all her romantic dreams. And her world is turned upside down by Forrest’s attentions, because Margot doesn’t believe in romance anymore… doesn’t she?

I think the idea of this book was very fun and creative, what with all the romantic tropes coming to life in Margot’s story. Ultimately, though, it all fell a little flat for me. Instead of it all being romantic, it felt a little cringey. I liked both Margot and Forrest as characters, but I don’t think they made the best couple. They were often fighting, which wasn’t enjoyable to read. A lot of their interactions seemed based on lust. (There are lots of spicey chapters, so be prepared.) The only thing they connected over was their experience in being caregivers for their disabled family members. For me, this was the best part of the book, as their love for their family members was so beautiful and strong. There were good messages for caretakers in this book.

Overall, I don’t think this was for me. But thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Any Trope But You was funny, emotional, and heart string pulling all in one. There was a good balance of humor and heart to draw you in and make you invested in the characters and their situations. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading and the banter between the main characters was great. One thing I was not a fan of were the very descriptive intimate scenes. They were uncomfortable, not for me, and are what made me want to rate it lower. I felt they were too long and took away from how cute the story was. Overall, outdoor adventures, self discovery, and all the traditional romance tropes were at the center of the book and it was a good debut novel! Thank you Victoria Lavine, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Any Trope But You follows FMC and author, Margot as she escapes her normal life after an embarrassing leak of “Happily Never After” alternate endings. She arrives at her lodge in Alaska only to meet Forrest who kicks off a love story of all your favorite romance tropes in one place. Despite the cold Alaskan setting, this book was cozy and kept me laughing throughout.

Readers who love outdoor adventure, self discovery, and traditional romance tropes will enjoy this book.

Any Trope But You was a cute and enjoyable read. The story centers around a burned out romance writer going on a forced vacation in an attempt to savage her career once it is outed that she doesn’t believe in happily ever afters. Her plan is to pivot to mystery writing, but the universe has other plans when she continuously encounters every romantic trope.

In other hands the use of so many tropes could have come across as excessive, by Lavine does it right. They blend seamlessly into the story and the character has a self awareness of the ridiculousness of it all happening in real life. This creates a comical atmosphere and a very sweet story. The book was a fast read that was throughly delightful. The only critic is that I wished there was an epilogue (which is the only reason for 4.5 stars instead of 5). Overall, definitely recommend!

I looooved the beginning of this book. It was so witty and the banter between the main character Margot and her sister were the shit. All in all, this is a really solid romance book. I really liked the setting and the characters but I wish their relationship had been as fun as that of the sisters.

Swoon, Sauna Spice & Friendly Moose - Oh My! Any Trope But You is my favorite of 2025 so far. A debut for Victoria Lavine & I am here for all the laughs, swoons and feels. This book confirms my love of ALL the tropes (the limit does not exist). Plus, it reminded me to Stay Safe, but not Too safe (IYKYK).

ARC via Net Galley

Goodreads review

I really liked this one. The character development was great, the dialogue flowed, and the story kept my interest. This author was new to me, but I'd definitely read her again!

I read this on a snowy trip (yes, I’m aware it was just Seattle, but for a California girl, that’s *basically* the North Pole).

This story was sweet, spicy, and *completely* devoured in record time. It was adorable, and I couldn't put it down!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I love this book!!! Such good characters and amazing writing. I recommend this to everybody! So good!

Thank NetGalley and Victoria Lavine!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was so different from what I was expecting- it was much deeper and I was pleasantly surprised. Forrest and Margot are characters that you can’t help but root for because of how honestly good and kind they are. But I’m pretty sure that we can agree that Forrest is a top notch MMC. I also loved the relationship between Margot and her sister Savannah and the letters Savannah wrote Margot.

I could list off the numerous tropes this book has but its way more fun to stumble upon them when the FMC Margot does. Each one is a palm-to-the-forehead moment of "Of course this one is in here!" But it works... each and every time!
The book started off feeling like it was trying a little too hard to be a witty banter, over-the-top romcom. But once you got to know the characters and their quirks and motivations the story settled into an often funny, sometimes heartstring-tugging and surprisingly hot romance between Margot and Forrest. I loved the little details in the story that made them real people to me. There was a perfect mix of plot, angst, slow burn and spice mixed in.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read and review and eARC of this book.

** spoiler alert ** **spoiler alert** This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review This review may contain spoilers.

It has been a long time since a romantic comedy made me literally laugh out loud. Any Trope But You is packed with shining moments that had me cackling on my couch (or desperately trying to stifle my laughter in public settings). Victoria Lavine’s sense of humor is top-tier, and her creativity shines through in every snarky remark and hysterical metaphor. I wish I could live inside Margot’s internal monologue forever.

But this book isn’t just wildly funny—it’s also deeply emotional. Lavine masterfully balances humor and heart, making me genuinely invested in both Margot’s and Forrest’s emotional journeys. She crafts deeply layered characters and allows the reader to fully experience their struggles, growth, and vulnerabilities.

I also loved how Lavine both celebrates and pokes fun at popular romance tropes through Margot’s voice. Margot begrudgingly acknowledges the tropes unfolding around her, resisting their pull while secretly hoping they don’t lead her to believe in happily ever afters. It felt like a love letter to the genre—both self-aware and heartfelt—and I was here for every moment of it.

From the cozy Alaskan setting to the characters who felt so real, I didn’t want to put this book down. What a stunning debut from Victoria Lavine! I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

A canceled romance author meets a handsome mountain man caring for his ailing father at their Alaskan wilderness retreat. Add in a few guests, including a handsome younger man who’s like to call dibs on Margot, and what can go wr… right? Get ready, because “Any Trope but You” checks every trope off the list.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Turning the tables and writing from the perspective of a romance turned mystery author to save her sister was such a fun POV. Having her very own meet cute and love story play out was great

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ (3.5/5)

Thank you to @atriabooks for my #gifted copy of this upcoming release.

This was a cute romcom and the MMC, Forrest was so great…just open, honest and sincere, he legit has nothing but good intentions with everyone he encounters. Loved his character.

Then there was the FMC, Margot I didn’t like her quite as much as Forrest. TBH I’m not entirely sure what Forrest saw in her…maybe she was just THAT cute. She sort of annoyed me but ended up growing on me. I was glad that she found her own version of a HEA.

The importance of family was a strong theme in this one and the other big theme was the importance of caring for yourself and pursuing your own happiness & passions.

All of the references to Savannah’s (Margot’s sister) mysterious autoimmune condition never came full circle. It was a big piece of the book but we never found out what her diagnosis was. I also have an autoimmune condition (RA) so I was very interested in which one Savannnah. I was also curious about what made the author decide to incorporate an autoimmune rep into the book. Does she maybe have a personal relationship with someone fighting autoimmune disease!? I like hearing what inspires authors to add specific content to their books.

My fav part of the book was Margot’s dedication in her novel. My heart legit felt like it skipped a beat. ❤️❤️❤️

Overall it was a cute read with some spice sprinkled in but I think there was a lot of filler and it was lacking a little in chemistry between the MCs.

This book was so sweet and fun to read!

I loved the idea of a romance author who doesn't believe in HEA, yet feels that she must deliver on them in her own books. Watching the FMC's relatable conflicts in her romantic, professional, and familial aspects of her life kept me hooked throughout. The FMC has a few moments where she was a bit annoying and self-centered, but there was always context as to why, and her personal development throughout the book was nice to see unfold. I absolutely adored the MMC and his dedication to the things (and people) that are most important to him. The relationship between the MCs is nothing new, but it was still so much fun to read. This was absolutely a cozy book that has the vibes of fireplaces and hot cocoa while it's snowing!

The writing of the book itself was so easy to read and the pace was great. I do wish there had been a bit more of an ending because it felt a bit rushed, but that's really my only complaint about the plot of the book. Is this book a bit silly? Yes. It is full of romance tropes? Yes, obviously, it's even in the title lol. Is it a great rom-com with immaculate vibes and a great storyline? Absolutely.

I'd highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a new cozy rom-com that discusses themes of family, personal growth, and authenticity.